The 2024 Tax Season Scam Series is almost to an end, and Attorney General Ashley Moody is cautioning about scams involving direct deposit refunds.
Potential victims may be contacted by scammers via phone, text, or email while they pretend to be Internal Revenue Service agents and say there was an error on the target’s tax return.
The perpetrators then demand that the victim promptly return the funds, which are typically requested in the form of gift cards or wire transfers.
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“We’re concluding our 2024 Tax Season Scam Series with a warning about direct deposit refund scams. As Floridians finalize their tax filings and wait for refunds to be delivered, it is important to remain vigilant for fraudulent schemes,” said Moody.
It is important to know that no matter how convincing the fraudsters may be, the IRS will not text taxpayers about refunds or call demanding payments through untraceable mediums, such as gift cards.
To avoid direct deposit refund scams, taxpayers should know:
- IRS agents will never text or email regarding payments;
- The IRS accepts multiple means of payment and will never require payments to be in the form of wire transfer or gift cards;
- The IRS will never call to demand immediate payments through specific methods; and
- Taxpayers can contact the IRS through the official website to address concerns.
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Report tax scams or other fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.FTC.gov.
The IRS provides online tools to help track tax refunds. You can use the ‘Where’s My Refund?’ web tool or download the IRS2Go mobile app to check the status of a refund.
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